Releasing device for launching-cradles



` 1.1. SCOLLAN. RELEASING DEVICE FOR LAUNCHING CRADLES.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

2 SHEETS-.snm l.`

vwevlflz n fade/M i60/[m2 APPLICATION FILED MAY3,1920.

1.1. SCOLLAN.

RELEASING DEVICE FOR LAUNCHING CRADLES.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

APPLICATION FILED MAYS, 1920.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN JOSEPH SCOLLAN, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

RELEASING DEVICE FOR LAUNG-IING-CRADLES.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

Application led May 3, 1920. Serial No. 378,583.

To all whom it may concer/a.'

Be it known that l, JOI-IN JosnrH SCOL- LAN, a citizen oi the United States, residing at Newark, N. J., in the county of Essex. State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Releasing Devices for Launching-Cradles; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

One object of this invention is to provide a launching cradle for ships which may be readily released after it has cleared the launching ways. vide a poppet construction for the launching cradle which,`upon the release oi the cradle, will float ot to the sides of the launched ship and become recoverable for use in connection with the launching of other ships.

To this end the after-poppets of the launching cradle are secured together while the ship is on theV ways but are released from one another during the launching operation when the poppets are about to clear the end of the ways. The poppets are preferably constructed in such a manner as to prevent the loss, during launching, of any timber or other material of which they may be constructed.

The poppets, in accordance with this invention, may be secured together by means of cable-lashings and in this case the cables comprising the lashings are preferably attached to a poppet then looped about a pin and thensecured again to` the same poppet. In this manner, the pin serves to complete the cradle between the poppets on either side of the att of the ship when it is still on the ways. The cables attached to each poppet should be so disposed about the pin that substantially equal tension is maintained in all of the cables forming the lashings, thereby tending to retain the pin in a position in whichit may readily be withdrawn from between the cables to release the cradle and permit the poppets to float ofi' to each side of the launched ship. It

` should be understood that one or more pop- A further obj ect is to pro- This invention is adaptable for use in connection with the launching of ships of any tonnage when such ships are launched in the usual manner from ground ways and ithas the advantage that the ship may be launched in more shallow water than would otherwise be possible without danger of the poppets sticking or fouling in the mud and doing damage to the hull vof the shin or to the popgets themselves. The stern of a ship is usually of such a contour as will enable it readily to cut through the mud at the bottom oi' such shallow water until the launching operation proceeds to the stage at which the inherent buoyancy of the ship will float it.

The use of this invention is especially advantageous in connection with the launching et modern standardized fabricated steel ships in which case, the lines or contour of each ship are substantially the saine and require only slight alterations, if any, of recovered poppets used in previous launchings, in order that they may be used for the launching of other ships. This, of course, results in a considerable saving in time and labor and enables the cost of production of such ships to be lessened proportionately.

The main features of this invention, as

well as the important and novel details' thereof, will be understood from a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiment of theinvention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings:

Figure l illustrates a ship on the launching ways;

Fig. 2 illustrates a launched ship, together with the after noppets floating adjacent to its sides; y Y

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section view of the stern of a ship on the launching ways;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the launching cradle lashings.

Fig. 5 shows the lashing cables of the launching cradle looped about a pin.

ln Fig-1 a ship 1 is shown on the launching ways 2 supported in an upright position at its stern by the poppets 3 and 4, together with the cable lashings 5 and 6 and coacting poppets not shown) located on the other side of the ship, thereby forming the launching cradle. As is well known.` when the sliding way is released in the usual manner, and the wedges 7 are withdrawn,

the ship will slide down the launching way 2 into the water. During the launching operation, the pin 8, which complet-es the launching cradle formed by the poppet 3 and its coacting poppet on the opposite side of the ship together with the cables 5, is withdrawn by means of a cable 9 attached to the end of the pin and to a point on the ways. rIhis withdrawal operation is shown in the dotted position of the ship l just as theafter-poppet 3 is clearing the launching ways. Tie poppet 3, which is constructed in such a manner that none of the timber. forming the poppet become separated from the structure when released, floats off and may be towed to shore or salvaged in any suitable manner. rIhe coacting poppet 3, shown in Fig. 3, corresponding to poppet 3 but located on the opposite side of the ship floats olf ina similar manner when the cradle is released and it also becomes recoverable. Likewise, poppet 4 and its coacting poppet also become recoverable in the inanner described in the case of poppet 3. The poppet 4 and its coacting poppet, together with the cable lashing 6 form a cradle which' may be released by a pin and cable (not shown) identical with the pin 8 and cable 9, the lashing arrangement preferably being such that the release is effected aftervthe poppet 4 clears the end of the launching ways.

In Fim 2 the after poppets 3 and 4 are shown floating adjacent to the sides of the launched ship after the launching operation has been completed. Any convenient means may be used to tow these poppets to shore and so recover them for use in connection with the launching of other ships.

In Fig. 3 the stern of the ship 1 is shown supported by the poppet 3 and its coacting poppet 3a forming a launching cradle with the cable lashings 5 and the pin 8. As has been pointed out, the wedges 7 are withdrawn when it is desired to launch the ship and the cable 9 serves to withdraw the pin 8, which releasesthe cradle and permits the poppets 3 and 3a to float olf to each side of the launched ship.

In Fig. 4, the cable lashing 5 is shown blocked away fromV the lreel and sides of lthe ship l in order that no damage Vmay be thereafter the poppets are placed on such ways. Subsequently, the wedges 7, are driven between the poppets and sliding ways in order to lift the ship from the keel blocks, whereupon it begins to slide into the water. The rope 9 is of such length that the pin 8 of each device will not be withdrawn until the ship is afloat.

It is to be understood that various modifications may be made in the specific means shown for releasing the launching cradle without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention and further that the poppet construction and cradle may be altered in any manner to accommodate ships of various tonnages or ships having sterns of a contour different from the ship illustrated in connection with the preferred embodiment of this invention.

I claim:

l. A launching cradle for ships comprising an after-poppet for each side of the ship, means for securing said poppets together while the ship is on the ways, and means cooperable with the ways for automatically releasing said poppets from each other during the launching operation whereby the poppets bloat olf to the sides of the launched ship.

2. A launching cradle for ships comprising a poppet for each side of the aft of the ship, lashing for securing said poppets together while the ship is on the ways and means coperable with the ways forfautomatically releasing said lashing during the launching of the ship whereby the poppets become detached from each other and float olf to each side of the launched ship.

3. A launching cradle for ships comprising a poppetV for each side of the aft of the ship, lashing for securing said poppets together while the ship is on the ways, said lashing consisting of a plurality of cables attached to each poppet, a. pin about which .the cables are looped and means for withdrawing said pin from between the cables during the launching operation whereby said poppets become detached from one another and lioat off to each side of the launched ship.

4. A launching cradle for ships comprising a poppet for each side of the aft of the ship, cables for securely lashing said poppets together while the ship is on' the ways, said cables being attached to the respective poppets, a pin about which thecables are looped, and a cable having one end attached 4to the pin and the other end attached to the fixed way whereby said cable is adapted to withdraw the pin from between said cable loops during the launching operation when the poppets clear the end of the launching ways.

5. A launching cradle for ships comprising a plurality of poppets for each side of the aft of the ship, cable lashings for securing said poppets together While the ship is on the Ways, said lashings being attached to the respective poppets, a plurality of pins about which the cables are looped, and a cable having one end attached to each pin and the other end attached to the fixed Way whereby said cable is adapted to withdraw the pin from between the cable loops during the launching operation at a point when the 10 poppets clear the end of the launching Ways.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN JOSEPH SCOLLAN, 

